Academics have reacted to Dino Melaye’s wearing of academic gown to the Senate plenary session on Tuesday, March 28 after he was cleared by the vice-chancellor of ABU.
The vice chancellor of the institution, Prof. Ibrahim Garba, in Melaye’s defense said he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography from ABU, with a Third Class.
Academics who spoke with Punch says Melaye’s attitude was a “juvenile attempt” at proving that he attended the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
ZENITHBLOG.com had reported that Senator Melaye stormed the National Assembly Plenary Session on Tuesday March 28 in what academics described as “ceremonial” gown, rather than an academic robe.
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Zenithblog.com also recalls that Melaye who is the senator representing Kogi West has been under fire in the past week on the allegation that he did graduate from ABU as claimed.
The Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Ibrahim Garba, in his defense has however said he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography from ABU, with a Third Class.
According to a Professor of History and former Dean of Faculty of Arts at the Lagos State University, LASU, Ojo, Abolade Adeniji, who spoke with Punch: “This is a juvenile attempt at justifying his claims that he attended ABU. He has only made a fool of himself.
“What the senator has done is unusual, and this should be a source of concerns to his fellow senators.
“The senatorial position is an exalted one that should not be trivialised the way Senator Melaye is doing.
“The appearance he assumed today is not for an adult, much less a senator. He looks so cheap. It’s a political drama that was meant to prove that he has a degree.”
Another academic, the Dean of Arts Faculty and Professor of English Language at LASU, Adeleke Fakoya, on his part argued that the gown the Kogi state senator wore “is a ceremonial one.”
“This is a ceremonial gown and not an academic robe. It is a ceremonial uniform usually worn during formal ceremonies in any Ivory Tower.
“Even then, you can only wear such ceremonial robes if you are a part of the procession in the academic environment; never in the context in which Senator Melaye wore it today.
“The type of gown that the senator wore in that photograph is usually worn by vice-chancellors, registrars, deans, etc.
“If Melaye intended it to prove that he graduated from ABU, then he missed it big time because the type of gown he is wearing is not for someone being conferred with a first degree, to start with.
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“It is a ceremonial costume that should not be worn in frivolous manner as this senator has done. It’s either hired or stolen.”
The professor also went on to insist that senator Melaye’s action wouldn’t change anything.
“It won’t make that person a Pope, because we know the processes involved towards becoming a Pope.
“Ditto for academics. You must earn what you claim to possess, academically or by way of honorary bestowal.
“The onus is on anyone to justify his claims to any degree, instead of treating sacred objects with frivolity as we have here.”
Meanwhile, after popular comedian, Emma OMG made a remix of the song by the lawmaker representing Kogi-West senatorial district Senator Dino Melaye, a Nigerian lady who was identified as Cynthia Amadi has made a mockery of the senator’s latest video release.
Meanwhile, in the video below, ZENITHBLOG.com visited the displaced people of Otodo Gbame of Lagos state.
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